Veigar's expression was utterly smug, provoking Danzo to the point of trembling with rage.
"If you won't speak now, then you'll speak later..."
To turn hostile in an instant, that's truly Danzo for you!
As his cold words fell, various sealing tags coiled around Veigar, instantly immobilizing him.
Simultaneously, six masked ninja appeared inside the wooden hut. These were elite members of the old Root, whom Danzo had not handed over to Hiruzen, but had kept by his side.
"Take him back." Danzo walked out without looking back.
Thud, thud...
However, in the very next second, Danzo's face instantly contorted. The sound of a blade slicing through a neck behind him made him turn around in horror.
Thump, thump...
Inside the hut, six corpses simultaneously hit the ground. The fury in Danzo's eyes could no longer be contained.
At the same time, the Veigar who had just been placed under a sealing jutsu by Danzo dissolved into a puff of smoke.
From the very beginning, the Veigar Danzo had encountered was not his real body, but a Shadow Clone. That's why Veigar had been so fearless.
Sheathing his ninjatō, Veigar stared at Danzo and said, "The village hasn't been peaceful lately; assassins keep showing up at my door. Thankfully, I had a trick up my sleeve."
"I should also thank Danzo-sama for drawing them out for me."
With bright, innocent eyes, Veigar spoke nothing but the plain truth.
Look, just look. Danzo was practically fuming.
"Koshima... Veigar..."
A low growl escaped Danzo's lips. With only a few usable subordinates left, he wished he could skin Veigar alive.
"Getting angry will only harm your health; it's not worth it. Danzo-sama, safe travels." Veigar, having gained the upper hand, bid him farewell with a smiling face.
"Hmph!"
Danzo, accustomed to his former high position, understood the art of compromise and possessed an uncommon level of patience.
With a cold snort, Danzo departed, leaning on his cane.
Only after Danzo's figure vanished from sight did Veigar drop his composed demeanor, his face turning frosty.
"Danzo..."
Veigar didn't want to eliminate Danzo... no, he did.
Very much so!
But he couldn't.
He could kill Root remnants, but he absolutely couldn't be the first to attack Danzo.
Otherwise, only two paths awaited him: either imprisonment or becoming a rogue ninja.
Danzo, too, wore a frosty expression after leaving. Not only had he failed in his objective of confronting Veigar today, but he had also lost six subordinates. How could he not be enraged?
It was uncertain if Danzo would ever have another chance to capture Veigar and interrogate him about how he broke free from the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
This thorn would likely plague Danzo for the rest of his life.
However, Danzo wasn't without gains. He now had a general understanding of Veigar's current strength, and he had personally experienced Veigar's changes.
This was also why Danzo didn't act directly, as he wasn't confident he could defeat Veigar in a direct confrontation.
Thus, he chose to turn and leave.
"Is it patience or transformation..."
"We'll see."
Soon, Danzo disappeared into the forest.
...
Time passed, and night arrived in a flash.
The news of Veigar residing in the Konoha forest had also been leaked, and many individuals who had infiltrated Konoha searching for Veigar's whereabouts received the information.
However, they didn't immediately act.
First, because the news was too sudden.
Second, because this was Konoha.
Third, because Veigar was not to be trifled with.
It was another bright moonlit night.
As Hokage, Hiruzen's actions were swift. The matter of Veigar purchasing medicinal herbs from the Nara clan was handled in just one day, and he arranged for Sarutobi clan ninja to deliver them to Veigar.
After three days of the news of Veigar residing in the Konoha forest circulating, someone finally couldn't hold back and decided to act.
It was a muggy midday, yet Veigar, residing in the forest, still felt a touch of coolness.
Having just finished lunch, he was about to return to the wooden hut to practice the Body Enhancement Technique.
"Sigh, it seems I won't be able to rest."
At that moment, three burly adults appeared a hundred meters away from Veigar's dwelling. Dressed in ordinary cloth and wearing straw hats, the three clearly belonged together and were heading straight for Veigar.
No decent person would dress like that and continuously attempt to infiltrate and approach.
Veigar stood calmly at the wooden hut's entrance, awaiting their arrival.
From the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure, Furuyama clan, Furuyama Tōru.
From the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure, Furuyama clan, Furuyama Yūki.
From the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure, Furuyama clan, Furuyama Kōtarō.
The identities of these three burly men were indeed members of the Furuyama clan from Kumogakure. They had received orders from Furuyama Renjou to come to Konoha and take Veigar's head.
The Furuyama clan's revenge had finally arrived.
Veigar calmly observed the trio's formation. "One for surveillance, one for lookout, one for killing. How cautious!"
At this moment, Veigar was unaware that these three ninja from the Furuyama clan were all Jōnin highly valued by Furuyama Renjou.
In the Konoha forest.
The three saw Veigar standing at the wooden hut's entrance and immediately stopped, exchanging glances.
"Have we been exposed?" A single question ran through all three of their minds as they looked at the motionless Veigar.
Soon, the three nodded to each other.
Regardless of whether they were exposed or not, it was time to kill.
After dealing with Veigar, they would take his head and leave.
Furuyama Kōtarō stared at Veigar, his killing intent boiling as he commanded, "Move! Kill him, burn the body, and the three of us will split up and leave Konoha as fast as possible!"
"Yes!" Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru responded simultaneously.
Immediately, the three leaped forward at the same time, transforming into blurs as they swiftly moved towards Veigar.
The instant the three acted, Veigar felt them.
In truth, deep down, Furuyama Kōtarō, Furuyama Yūki, and Furuyama Tōru hadn't taken Veigar too seriously.
Even though Veigar's record of assassinating the Sunagakure Elder on the battlefield and calmly escaping was well known to them, they all believed that with the combined strength of three Jōnin, no matter how strong Veigar was, he wouldn't be their match.
Therefore, they didn't fully conceal their presence.
Furuyama Kōtarō, Furuyama Yūki, and Furuyama Tōru, all wielding kunai, appeared before the still unmoving Veigar.
"Kill!" Furuyama Kōtarō commanded.
At that moment, an ominous premonition surged into the trio's minds, their faces instantly changing.
Because the Veigar in front of them seemed to be only a clone.
Sure enough, when the kunai in Furuyama Kōtarō's hand was thrown and pierced straight through Veigar's body, they all understood.
They understood why Veigar had been so unresponsive to their arrival.
"Where did the target go?" Furuyama Kōtarō, who had abruptly halted his charge, asked with a tense mind.
"Are you looking for me?"
Suddenly, Veigar's voice came from the side of the trio.
The three simultaneously turned their heads and saw Veigar slowly emerging from behind a tree.
Furuyama Kōtarō, Furuyama Yūki, and Furuyama Tōru stared at the calm Veigar, their hearts simultaneously seizing with panic.
They realized that Veigar might not be so easy to deal with.
Furuyama Yūki then saw Furuyama Kōtarō's hand signal hidden behind his back and immediately executed the second plan: direct combat.
Water Release: Water Stream.
As Furuyama Yūki unleashed his Water Release ninjutsu, a large current of water began to form beneath their feet, rushing towards Veigar.
The water flowed incredibly fast, and Veigar didn't hesitate. Within a few breaths, the water had spread to Veigar's feet.
However, in the next second...
Furuyama Kōtarō's pupils constricted violently, and he let out a piercing scream. "Watch out!"
Almost simultaneously, Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru both leaped in different directions; they had to leave their current positions immediately.
Silently...
Veigar, who had just been in front of the trio, appeared behind Furuyama Kōtarō.
Swish...
A harsh whistling sound sliced through the air, creating a cold flash that struck directly at Furuyama Kōtarō.
To catch the leader, you must first catch the king.
As the captain of the trio, Furuyama Kōtarō's reaction was incredibly swift.
As Veigar's blade cut through the air, he used sound to locate the attack, forcibly twisted his waist, and narrowly dodged Veigar's first strike.
Just then, another figure appeared opposite Furuyama Kōtarō.
The distance was very close, and when Furuyama Kōtarō saw the short stature, he immediately identified who it was.
It was Veigar!
Another Veigar!
Veigar, tightly gripping his ninjatō, moved without hesitation, striking directly at Furuyama Kōtarō's vitals.
Though Furuyama Kōtarō's mind was greatly shaken, having not expected a second Veigar, his hand movements were also swift. He changed from retreating to advancing, fiercely swinging the kunai in his hand forward.
Clang...
The ninjatō and kunai collided with a loud clang.
Just then!
Furuyama Kōtarō's face suddenly flushed red, and veins bulged. "Such incredible strength!"
In an instant, all the hairs on Furuyama Kōtarō's body stood on end, because his strength was actually inferior to Veigar's.
Swish...
Yet another Veigar.
Veigar appeared like a ghost behind Furuyama Kōtarō at the very moment Furuyama Kōtarō's veins bulged.
Veigar had already swung the ninjatō in his hand, its sharp blade instantly slicing across Furuyama Kōtarō's neck.
A large head soared into the sky!
Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru, now standing on the water's surface, echoed each other's shouts. They turned, kunai in hand, and watched the scene unfold before them with immense grief.
"You two will die too."
The moment Veigar spoke, he grabbed Furuyama Kōtarō's falling head.
"Kōtarō!"
At this moment, how could Furuyama Kōtarō respond to the cries of Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru?
They truly believed that Veigar, having moved to the Konoha forest, had made no preparations whatsoever. Within a hundred meters of the wooden hut, Veigar had already buried a large number of Flying Raijin Technique kunai.
After all, this was now his home turf.
How could he not have any preparations?
Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru, heartbroken, gathered their composure.
They exchanged glances with each other from not far away, both understanding each other's intentions.
There were now three Veigars standing before them, two of them being Shadow Clones.
At the same time, they believed they understood Veigar's intentions from earlier; Furuyama Kōtarō's death was partly on them.
If they hadn't fled, Furuyama Kōtarō would never have been ambushed by Veigar and his two Shadow Clones, and wouldn't have been killed so quickly.
If Veigar knew what Furuyama Tōru and Furuyama Yūki were thinking at that moment, he would surely scoff.
Because Veigar's target earlier was not both of them, but only Furuyama Kōtarō.
Why wound ten fingers when you can sever one?
The two, filled with self-reproach, looked somewhat pale. They no longer had the confidence to defeat Veigar and complete their mission.
They had not failed to see Veigar's ghostly speed and sudden appearances just moments ago.
Cold sweat immediately dripped from their foreheads.
The water beneath their feet was murky. The blood flowing from Furuyama Kōtarō's corpse stained a large area red, like a red dyeing vat.
Swish, swish.
Aside from the Veigar holding Furuyama Kōtarō's head, his two Shadow Clones vanished under the gaze of Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru.
They just vanished.
What happened right before Furuyama Kōtarō was killed still haunted Furuyama Yūki and Furuyama Tōru's minds.
This suddenly vanishing Veigar immediately sent shivers down their spines, as if they were engulfed by an atmosphere of terror.
Their breathing abruptly hitched.
——————————
TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]